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Articles by Osian Bowyer
A route to a million Welsh speakers: the role of the classroom
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025 (‘the 2025 Act’) was passed unanimously by the Senedd in May 2025. It seeks to underpin Cymraeg 2050 by improving school pupils’ Welsh language skills. The previous Welsh Government’s aim, as reflected by the goals the 2025 Act sets for schools, was for all pupils to become at least ‘basic’ Welsh speakers by the end of compulsory education. The intention was to upgrade that minimum goal to ‘independent’ Welsh speakers in the future.
A community forgotten - three years on, but little change for Gypsy and Traveller communities
Overcrowded, unsuitable and poorly maintained local authority sites have become the norm for the Gypsy and Traveller community a Senedd Committee has found. Despite signs that funding to support the refurbishment and development of new local authority sites is now starting to flow, years of stasis has left a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of many living on these sites.
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: Summary of changes at Stage 2
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill proposes changes to the way Welsh language education is planned and delivered, with an aim that all school pupils become independent Welsh language users by the time they reach the end of compulsory school age. The Bill is at Stage 3 of the Senedd’s legislative process. It was amended at Stage 2 by the Children, Young People and Education (CYPE) Committee in February. We’ve produced a summary of changes to the Bill at Stage 2.
Welsh Language and Education Bill: support for the principles but concerns over workforce capacity
Cymraeg 2050, the Welsh Government’s Welsh language strategy, aims to increase the number of Welsh speakers to one million, and double daily use of Welsh from 10% to 20% by 2050. The Welsh Government says the education system is “integral” to achieving this agenda. In July, the Welsh Government introduced the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill into the Senedd’s legislative process. The Bill proposes changes to how statutory Welsh language education provision is planned and delivered.
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: Bill Summary
Published 18/09/2024   |   Reading Time minutes The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill proposes changes to the way Welsh language education is planned and delivered, with an aim that all school pupils become independent Welsh language users by the time they reach the end of compulsory school age. The Bill aims to support the Welsh Government’s target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050 (“Cymraeg 2050”), which it places on a statutory footing.
Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: resources page
The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill was introduced into the Senedd on 15 July 2024. This page pulls together key Senedd Research publications to support scrutiny of the Bill. It will be updated as the Bill makes its way through the Senedd’s legislative process. You can follow the Bill’s progress on the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill webpage. This includes the Bill itself and the Explanatory Memorandum, which includes Explanatory Notes and a Regulatory Impact Assessment.
A system under strain: the sustainability of local government
Local government estimates it’s made £3bn of cuts and efficiencies since 2009-10. Inevitably, funding pressures have led to a reduction in services provided by councils, with non-statutory services such as libraries and leisure centres often feeling the greatest impact. As councils grapple to balance the books, households have been asked to pay more in council tax. You might forgive residents for thinking each year they’re paying more for less.
Reforming local taxation: Senedd to consider amendments to the Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill
On Tuesday 9 July, the Senedd will have its second opportunity to amend the Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill. The Bill places a duty on Welsh Ministers to conduct five-yearly council tax revaluations and increases the frequency of non-domestic rates (business rates) revaluations. It also removes duties on local authorities to publish council tax notices in newspapers, which prompted a strong response from some media providers in Wales.
“A fairer and more progressive system” - first steps to reforming local taxes
Reforming local government finance and local taxation has long been on the political agenda. Despite incremental changes to local taxation law since the current system was established more than 30 years ago, the system has remained fundamentally the same. The Welsh Government’s Programme for Government made clear its intention to “seek to reform council tax to ensure a fairer and more progressive system” during this Senedd.
Progress on diversity in local government remains “stubbornly slow”
Marie Curie once said she was taught “the way of progress was neither swift nor easy”. This could just as easily be applied to the pace of progress in improving representation across all our democratic institutions. The Chair of the Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee, John Griffiths MS, described progress in improving the diversity of local councillors in Wales as “stubbornly slow” following the Committee’s inquiry into this issue.
Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill: Bill Summary
A new Bill going through the Senedd could establish a five-yearly cycle of council tax revaluations, while increasing the frequency of non-domestic rates (business rates) revaluations from five to every three years. The Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill was introduced into the Senedd on 20 November 2023.
Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill: resource page
The Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill was introduced into the Senedd on 20 November 2023. This page brings together key Senedd Research publications to support scrutiny of the Bill. It will be updated as the Bill makes its way through the Senedd’s legislative process. You can follow the Bill’s progress on the Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill page.
Committee calls for “immediate support” to help leisure centres and libraries
With local public services stretched and the demands on core statutory services, especially education and social care, absorbing ever greater resources, what future is there for local authority leisure and library services? That’s the question the Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee asked earlier this year.
The evolution of Welsh language education planning - Committee calls for a stronger and more consistent national approach
The framework that supports the development of Welsh language education provision needs strengthening, with robust monitoring of local authority progress to boot. This was one of the key findings from the Senedd’s Culture and Welsh Language Committee report on the legislative framework that supports Welsh-medium education provision.
The future of public leisure and library services
Public libraries and leisure centres provide a place to meet, work, learn and support physical and mental health. The impact when these services are withdrawn can be significant, and according to Community Leisure UK, poses a “real threat to the health and well-being of our communities”. For more than a decade, councils have found it increasingly difficult to sustain their local leisure and library services.
Welsh language, tourism, sports and arts: thriving or surviving?
This is the eighth article of our ten-part series looking at the Welsh Government’s progress in delivering its Programme for Government. Here we explore the well-being objective to “Push forward towards a million Welsh speakers, and enable our tourism, sports and arts industries to thrive”. There are 14 specific commitments beneath this broad Cabinet-wide objective, which the Welsh Government has given an update on in its PfG annual report. There are also relevant Ministerial commitments.
Bespoke solutions for age-old challenges: helping community councils evolve
Community and town councils are the closest tier of government (where one exists) to the people. They vary substantially in size and budget, with most having £50,000 or less to spend annually. They provide a range of local services, from community events and park maintenance to running local libraries, cafes and community centres to name a few.
Collaboration nation: what are Corporate Joint Committees and what will they do?
As the dust settles on the May local government elections, those leading our 22 authorities will be turning their sights to their in-trays. Local authorities face unprecedented challenges, including restoring local services post-pandemic, and managing workforce pressures amid a cost-of-living crisis. An improved local government funding settlement for 2022-23, including provisional funding up to 2024-25, presents authorities with a degree of certainty to plan for the longer-term.
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